1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to gun barrels.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shotgun barrels and rifle barrels are elongated metallic tubes attached to a firing mechanism and a gun stock. Rifles get their name from the "rifling" provided within the gun barrel. Specifically, rifling is a system of spiral grooves formed in the surface of the bore of a gun barrel causing a bullet to rotate when fired. Rifling may also be provided on shotguns. This rotation results in a more accurate gun. The number of spiral grooves varies, depending on the bore size and other factors.
It is generally accepted that the thicker the gun barrel wall is, the more accurate the gun. As might be expected, thick walled gun barrels can add significant weight to the shotgun or the rifle. However, shotguns and rifles having thick walled barrels may be difficult to carry, especially through wooded areas. Further, in competition, different classes generally are determined by the weight of the firearm, i.e., rifle. In an effort to have a more accurate shooting rifle, yet a lighter rifle, straight flutes or grooves have been formed on the outer surface of the gun barrel, while rifling is present on the surface of the bore. Although the straight flutes or grooves provide some improvement, the straight flutes or grooves do not remove a substantial amount of the excess weight from the gun barrel.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a strong, lightweight, and accurate gun barrel.